20-year-old accused of attempted murder in Paterson carjacking

PATERSON – A 20-year-old city man has been charged with attempted murder for an alleged carjacking Dec. 29 in the Riverside neighborhood in which one of the victims was shot and wounded as he jumped from the moving vehicle.

Rahjohn Rutherford, already was in jail after being arrested Wednesday in an unrelated crime, a home invasion robbery Dec. 10 on Pacific Street, police said.

His bail was raised to $1 million after being charged in the carjacking and shooting, said Lt. Patrick Murray, head of the Police Department’s Cease-Fire Unit.

Murray said police are looking for a second suspect in the carjacking, which happened near the corner of 4th Avenue and East 23rd Street.

Police say Rutherford and the other gunman forced their way into a vehicle occupied by a man and a woman. They then forced the woman out of the car and were driving on East 26th Street when the man jumped from the vehicle, police said.

He was shot twice, in the lower back and left foot, Murray said. The shooting victim, who was not identified, has been released from St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, police said.

In addition to attempted murder, Rutherford has been charged with carjacking, robbery, aggravated assault, kidnapping, and weapons offenses.

Authorities are asking anyone with additional information about the incident to contact Detectives Dave Tanis and Francisco Brito of the Cease-Fire Unit at 973-321-1342.